High Court told Dam Project Funding Illegal

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Supreme Court is weighing arguments on whether a $25 million state bond issue to fund improvements at the Zink Lake Dam in Tulsa would be unconstitutional.

A former chairman of the state bond oversight council told the high court Thursday that the funding should be blocked because the money would be a constitutionally prohibited gift to Tulsa from the state.

Attorneys for the state, the Tulsa River Parks Authority and the Tulsa Metro Chamber told justices that the project serves a state public purpose and funding should be allowed to go forward.

The Tulsa World reports that the bond oversight council asked the state Supreme Court to evaluate the funding plan before the bonds are let.